Cascale’s New CEO Spotlights the Urgency for the Consumer Goods Industry To Go Further To Tackle the Climate Crisis

September 10, 2024 06:35 PM AEST | By 3BL
 Cascale’s New CEO Spotlights the Urgency for the Consumer Goods Industry To Go Further To Tackle the Climate Crisis
Image source: Kalkine Media

AMSTERDAM, HONG KONG, OAKLAND, Calif., September 10, 2024 /3BL/ - Colin Browne, new CEO of the global nonprofit alliance Cascale, today unveiled critical insights to help the industry take a more targeted approach to decarbonization. Addressing over 600 leaders across the textile, apparel, and wider consumer goods industry, Browne used his first Annual Meeting as CEO to set out practical, strategic data-driven solutions - including an intensified focus on “industry hotspots” where major reductions can be achieved.

Browne presented new analysis from Cascale’s partner, RESET Carbon, which used data from Cascale’s Higg Index, exclusively available on Worldly, to show that 1,500 manufacturing facilities in nine countries account for 80 percent of the textile and apparel industry’s carbon emissions.

Cascale has already set a 45 percent reduction target for the textile, apparel, and footwear industry by 2030, in line with the Paris Agreement. With the industry behind on progress to achieve this, Browne called for an intensified focus on critical areas the data uncovers:

“The reality is that the consumer goods industry is not doing enough to combat climate change. With new data demonstrating a stark concentration of climate impact, we must direct action to where it matters most. We have to focus on the Industry Strategic Supplier hotspots. There is no path to achieving our 45 percent reduction target that doesn’t involve these 1,500 facilities.”

To help accelerate data-driven change, Cascale is working with its partners Apparel Impact Institute and RESET Carbon to build an Industry Decarbonization Roadmap, supporting suppliers to reduce their emissions in a targeted way.

Now four months into his role, Browne spoke of his ambition and confidence: “I’m more optimistic today than I was 120 days ago. We have the technical knowledge, the capability and the tools to ensure a much more sustainable industry. But do we have the courage, the capacity and the commitment to follow through? I’m confident we do, and I urge every leader across the industry to step up. If not now then when? While we support our members with practical tools and techniques to help them decarbonize, we also constantly challenge them to do better.”

Browne acknowledged that Cascale has work to do to drive the scale of change it wants to see among its members. As part of Cascale’s membership requirements, corporate members must now join the organization’s Decarbonization Program and set science-based targets (SBTs) or science-aligned targets (SATs). In 2023, 59.7 percent of Cascale corporate members had either set or begun the process of setting SBTs or SATs - a 28.9 percent increase from the previous year.

Browne continued: “Cascale data shows there is a long road ahead. We found that within our membership, 33 percent of brands and 54 percent of manufacturers haven’t set Science-Based Targets. That needs to change. More importantly, brands and suppliers need to work in tandem to transform their Tier 2, which is the single most important source of carbon emissions. Setting an SBT without close consultation with one’s supply chain is unacceptable and irresponsible given the near-term deadline of 2030. But, with the right actionable data and mutual support, there is hope - as we uncover at this Annual Meeting.”

Today’s speeches form part of two days of action-orientated programming to help achieve a more sustainable and equitable future. The first Annual Meeting since Cascale – previously the Sustainable Apparel Coalition – rebranded in February 2024, it marks a major milestone in the organisation’s evolution.

Themed “A New Era of Unified Impact,” the event unites over 600 attendees from around the world, who will hear from more than 80 global industry experts. To learn more and view the program for Cascale’s Annual Meeting 2024 sponsored by Nike, VF Corporation, Zalando, Sympatex, Lululemon, TÜV Rheinland, Haelixa, TrusTrace, Puma, CottonConnect, GSCS International, IDFL, Artistic Milliners, Made2Flow and REN energy, click here.

- Ends -

Cascale Press Contact

Email: [email protected]

ABOUT CASCALE

Cascale is the global nonprofit alliance empowering collaboration to drive equitable and restorative business practices in the consumer goods industry. Spanning over 300 retailers, brands, manufacturers, governments, academics, and NGO/nonprofit affiliates around the globe, we are united by a singular vision: To catalyze impact at scale and give back more than we take to the planet and its people. Formerly known as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Cascale owns and develops the Higg Index and a unified strategy for industry transformation.

LinkedIn | X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube


Disclaimer

The content, including but not limited to any articles, news, quotes, information, data, text, reports, ratings, opinions, images, photos, graphics, graphs, charts, animations and video (Content) is a service of Kalkine Media Pty Ltd (“Kalkine Media, we or us”), ACN 629 651 672 and is available for personal and non-commercial use only. The principal purpose of the Content is to educate and inform. The Content does not contain or imply any recommendation or opinion intended to influence your financial decisions and must not be relied upon by you as such. Some of the Content on this website may be sponsored/non-sponsored, as applicable, but is NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold the stocks of the company(s) or engage in any investment activity under discussion. Kalkine Media is neither licensed nor qualified to provide investment advice through this platform. Users should make their own enquiries about any investments and Kalkine Media strongly suggests the users to seek advice from a financial adviser, stockbroker or other professional (including taxation and legal advice), as necessary.
The content published on Kalkine Media also includes feeds sourced from third-party providers. Kalkine does not assert any ownership rights over the content provided by these third-party sources. The inclusion of such feeds on the Website is for informational purposes only. Kalkine does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the content obtained from third-party feeds. Furthermore, Kalkine Media shall not be held liable for any errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in the content obtained from third-party feeds, nor for any damages or losses arising from the use of such content.
Kalkine Media hereby disclaims any and all the liabilities to any user for any direct, indirect, implied, punitive, special, incidental or other consequential damages arising from any use of the Content on this website, which is provided without warranties. The views expressed in the Content by the guests, if any, are their own and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of Kalkine Media. Some of the images/music that may be used on this website are copyrighted to their respective owner(s). Kalkine Media does not claim ownership of any of the pictures displayed/music used on this website unless stated otherwise. The images/music that may be used on this website are taken from various sources on the internet, including paid subscriptions or are believed to be in public domain. We have made reasonable efforts to accredit the source wherever it was indicated as or found to be necessary.
This disclaimer is subject to change without notice. Users are advised to review this disclaimer periodically for any updates or modifications.


AU_advertise

Advertise your brand on Kalkine Media

Sponsored Articles


Investing Ideas

Previous Next
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.